416 McClintock, a Hermit Thrush Study. Loct. 



on August 2 it commenced to rain, but the rain did not last long 

 and no brooding of the young was done. Several times during 

 each bright day, the sun shone directly on the nest. During 

 these periods, some of which lasted twenty minutes or more, 

 the young seemed to suffer. Twice on August 2 the female 

 brooded, once for eight minutes, but the latter was the last brood- 

 ing I observed. Preceding each of the broodings mentioned, the 

 female straddled the nest and seemed to burrow between the 

 young. The explanation of this action I was unable to definitely 

 discover. Possibly, however, the bird may have been loosening 

 the packed down pine needles lining the nest bottom, in order to 

 secure better air circulation. Throughout the eight minutes of 

 brooding by the female, the male sat on his favorite perch in the 

 dead pine, with food for the young in his bill. 



The young were 8 or 9 days old on August 4 and showed marked 

 development over the day before. When I approached the nest 

 the little fellows hissed at me. During the parents' absence, the 

 nestlings also kept their eyes open much of the time, whereas, on 

 the day before, they kept them closed. They also exhibited con- 

 siderable activity on the 4th, picking their feathers and stretching 

 their wings. On this day, I also noticed that the young for the 

 first time rested their heads on the rim of the nest. 



On the day following, August 5, the dark tips of the feathers 

 forming the spots on the breast and the little bright cinnamon 

 tail feathers showed very plainly. I also observed, for the first 

 time, one of the young erecting his crown feathers. Two of the 

 young also stood on their legs in the nest and stretched their 

 wings, one flapping his wings. 



Heretofore, the young, while in repose or sleeping, during their 

 parents' absence, kept their heads straight in front, but on August 

 5 I saw one young bird rest its head on or behind its wing while 

 sleeping. 



August 6 was hot and sultry with a south wind. On this day, 

 the young clamored for food by squeaking, when the parents 

 approached within six or eight feet of the nest, and, as they came 

 nearer, the little fellows rose to their feet and with necks craned 

 forward, received their rations. The attitude of the parents 

 toward the young likewise changed on this day, for, instead of 



